Wire feed for chain making machines



Dec. 8, 1936. .|t A. DIETERICH ET AL l 2,063,593

WIRE FEEDFOR CHAIN MAKING MACHINES Filed July 6, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 HERMA /V/l/ /Mf//VA @K5/Q.

Dec. 8, 1936. F. A. DlETERlcH VET Al..` 2,053,593

WIRE FEED FOR CHAIN MAKING MACHINES Y Filed July 6, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 mi? V//7/7 ATTORNEYS.

Wm 255% l Dec- 8, 1936- F. A. DIETERICH ET AL 2,063,593

WIRE FEED FOR CHAIN MAKING MACHINES Filed July e, 1935 s sheets-sheet 3 Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WIRE FEED FOR CHAIN MAKING MACHINES Application July 6, 1935, Serial No. 30,192

18 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to new and useful improvements in chain making machines, and more particularly, it pertains to machines for making ornamental chains such as are employed as watch chains and other chains for personal wear.

One object of the present invention is to improve the construction and mode of operation of chain making machines and to provide such machines with wire feeding mechanism which will effect a better operation of the machine than prior machines.

Machines of this type form chains by forming interengaging links from pieces of stock, known ln the art, and which will be hereinafter referred to as wire, the pieces of stock being severed from a length thereof which is presented to a suitable chain link forming mechanism by a suitable stock or wire feeding mechanism. It is to be understood that the term wire is herein used as it is in the chain trade and is intended to include stock of cross-sectional forms other than round.

It is often desirable to form a chain in which the several links will not be of the same character particularly as pertains to their appearance, the links being formed in such cases from strands of wire of different appearances.

In machines for forming chains having links of different forms or appearance, the different wires are fed to the link forming mechanism by wire feeding mechanisms which are individual to each wire. It has been the common practice heretofore to lead the wires to the machine at points directly opposite to each other and alternately operating their feeding mechanisms, properly to feed the wires to the link forming mechamsm.

Machines of this type being relatively small, and mounted several upon a single bench, this feeding of the wire into the machine from opposite sides presents several difficulties which, in actual practice, We have found, can be overcome by feeding the strands of Wire from which the links are formed, into the machine at one side only thereof.

A feature of the present invention resides in a novel arrangement of parts whereby a plurality of strands of wire may be fed into a chain making machine at one side only thereof, as distinguished from the general practice wherein, when a plurality of strands of wire are fed to a chain making machine, they are fed to opposite sides thereof.

A further feature of the invention resides in a novel arrangement of a plurality of wire feeding mechanisms which, according to the present invention, are arranged parallel to each other, pref-- erably in side by side relation.

Still a further feature of the invention resides in a novel construction and arrangement of parts whereby the several wire feeding mechanisms are singly moved into alinement with the chain link. forming mechanism so that they may deliver their respective wires thereto.

Still a further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a single wire holding and severing means which is operable in' combination` with each o-f the wire feeding mechanisms as they are brought into position'to feed their respective wires to the link forming mechanism.

Still a further feature of the invention resides in a novel construction of link forming tool whereby links of different character may be formed with the same set of jaws. This feature of the invention is an important one since it permits of the formation of a chain, the links of which are of different character, with a single link forming mechanism. i

Other features of the invention relate to certain novel and improved constructions, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the advantages of which will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

The invention will be clearly understood fromv the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention in its preferred form and the following detailed description of the constructions therein shown. n

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan View illustrating a portion of a chain making machine having a wire feeding mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in front elevation,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional View taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 2,

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 6 6 of Figure 2, 1

Figure 7 is a partially distended view of the wire feeding mechanism,

Figure 8 is a detail transverse sectional View of a portion of the wire mechanism,

Figure 9 is a detail perspective View showing a. section of formed chain and the manner in` which the Wires are singly fed through the formed.

links of the chain during the manufacture thereof,

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in section of a modified form of the Wire feed operating mechanism,

Figure 11 is a detail sectional view of a jaw of a chain link forming mechanism,

Figure 12 is a, detail fragmentary sectional view illustrating the structure of the chain link forming tools,

Figure 13 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the chain link forming portion of the chain forming tools,

Figure 14 is a horizontal sectional view on a slightly enlarged scale, taken substantially on the line I 4-I 4 of Figure 13, and;

Figure 15 is a detail perspective view on an enlarged scale illustrating a chain in which the links vary in cross-sectional form.

A machine of the type herein illustrated includes a base I5 which is preferably supported upon legs I6, which in turn rest upon a bench or other suitable support.

Carried in standards II there is a cam shaft I8, and said cam shaft has fixed thereto a plurality of cams I9, 20, 2l and 22. Suitably supn ported upon the base of the machine there is a shaft 23 and on said shaft there is pivotally mounted a plurality of rocker arms 24, 25, 26 and 2'I. In addition to the cams I9-22, the cam shaft I8 is provided upon its outer end with a cam 28, and pivotally mounted as at 29 there is a rocker arm 30. This rocker arm 30 is mounted in a horizontal plane, and upon its rear end it is provided with a roller 3| which engages the cam 28 to rock the lever 38 about its pivotal point 29. The forward end of this rocker arm 30 is designated 3| and the purpose of this portion of said rocker arm will be hereinafter more clearly set forth.

In the present presentation of the invention. we have shown a wire feeding mechanism which is adapted to feed either of two wires to the chain link forming mechanism, which latter is designated A in the drawings and which may be of any of the well known types of chain link forming mechanisms, including a jaw head which is rotated through after the formation of each link in order to position the formed link to receive the wire from which the next link is to be formed. The wire feeding mechanism is carried in a suitable support, preferably in the form of a block 40. This block 40 is slidably mounted upon the base I5, and to guide it in its Sliding movement the block is provided with a guide-way 4I which receives a guide 42, which in turn is stationary upon the base I5. In its movements, the support 4D is adapted to move forwardly and rearwardly of the machine. For moving this support 40 rearwardly of the machine, two spring 45 and 46 are employed. These springs are anchored to the base at one end as illustrated respectively at 41 and 48 in Figure 5, the forward ends of these springs being connected as at 49 to the support 40. By this construction the springs 45 and 46 tend 'to move the support 40 to its r-earmost position at all times. Mounted in the standards I'I there is a second cam shaft 50, and carried by this shaft 5I) there is a cam 5I. 'I'his cam shaft 50 is driven by a gear 52 which in turn meshes with a gear 53 on the cam shaft I8, heretofore mentioned. The cam 5I engages a rocker arm 54 carried by a shaft 55, which shaft also carries an arm 56. This arm 56 is adapted to engage and operate a member 5l which extends rearwardly from the support 40 heretofore described. The arm 56 is provided with a suitable adjusting screw 58 whereby the extent of movement imparted to the support 4G may be varied.

By this construction, as the shaft 50 is rotated the cam 5I will, through the medium of the arm 54, rock the shaft 55, which through the medium of the rocker arm 56, will move the support 40 forwardly against the tension of the springs 45 and 46, which, as heretofore stated, will act to return the support 40 to its rearmost position as the low side of the cam 5I engages the rocker arm 54. It will be understood that in its forward and rearward movement, the support 40 is guided by the guide 42.

The wire feeding mechanism comprises a housing which includes side walls 68 and end walls 6i and B2, one of which walls for example, the end wall 62, being removable. rT'he housing in the present instance is constructed with two sets of wire gripping elements since in the present machine, the wire feeding mechanism is designed to handle two strands of wire. This wire feeding mechanism consists of a wire holding means for each strand of wire and one holding means consists of a lower block 63 and an upper block 64. The lower block is provided with a channel 65 which conforms t0 the general shape of the strand of wire adapted to be fed therethrough and the depth of said channel will be slightly less than the thickness of the wire in the case of a flat wire, or the diameter of the wire in the case of a round wire to be fed therethrough. The upper block G4 rests upon the wire in the channel in the lower block by gravity and is adapted to be forced into engagement with the wire under pressure to prevent movement of the Wire relative to the blocks 63 and 84 during the actual feeding of the wire. After the wire has been fed, however, the pressure is released under which condition the wire is free to be moved between the blocks 63 and 64, or the entire wire feeding mechanism may be moved along the wire, the wire being held at another point in the machine, as will be hereinafter described.

In Figures l and 5, the two strands of wire are designated C and D. The blocks 53 and 54, for purpose of explanation, will be designated E as the wire feeding blocks for the wire D. In addition to these blocks 63 and 64 there are two blocks 55 and 61, and these blocks will be designated F as the wire feeding mechanism for the wire C.

The means for producing the pressure heretofore mentioned upon the upper blocks of the wire feeding mechanisms is best illustrated in Figures 3 and 7. This mechanism consists of two cams, there being one for each set of blocks E and F. These cams are identical, and therefore, the description of one will suffice. Each cam consists of a body portion 'I8 having a substantially straight upper edge 'II and a curved lower edge 'I2 formed with a high spot or shoulder '13. The upper edge is provided at one end with a projecting lug I4 and at the other end with a similar lug 75. These cams are pivotally mounted upon a shaft 'I6 mounted in bearings 'I'I in the side walls 6D of the housing. This shaft also carries a segment 'I9 having a squared opening 88 which fits a squared portion SI on the shaft 'I6 in order that the segment may rock with the shaft and this segment 'I9 is provided with a slot 82 which receives a screw 83 for the purpose of providing an adjustment of the cams 'I0 relative 75 to the blocks 64 which they operate. This adjustment is obtained in the following manner. The shaft 'i6 is eccentric, as illustrated in Figure 3, and by turning the eccentric shaft 'I6 in the bearings 1l, the shoulders or high points 13 of the cams may be raised or lowered relative to their respective blocks 64. This turning of the shaft 'I6 to raise or lower the cams i0 will necessarily move the segment '19, it being understood that the screw 83 has been loosened, and when the proper adjustment of the cams 'l0 has been obtained, a tightening of the screw 83 in the slot 82 will maintain the shaft 'I6 in its adjusted position. The housing which carries this wire feeding mechanism is provided with base flanges 95, and these base flanges 05 are slidably mounted beneath guides 96, see Figure 4, which guides are carried by the support 40. Extending from one end of the housing there is a thrust member 98, and this thrust member is adapted for engagement with the end 3| of the rocker arm 30, heretofore described, the end being bifurcated to receive an extension 09 on the thrust member 98, as best illustrated in Figure 3. The reference numeral designates a stop which may be adjusted by means of nuts |0|. This stop is threaded in the arm |02 of a bracket |03 extending from the support 40 and is adapted to provide an adjustment whereby a shorter throw of the rocker arm 30 may be obtained. By this construction it will be apparent that the housing of the wire feeding mechanism is advanced to the chain link forming mechanism A by the rocker arm 30. For retracting the housing of the Wire l feeding mechanism from the chain link forming mechanism A, springs ||0 are provided. These springs ||0 are connected at one end as at |I2 to projections on the housing of the wire feeding mechanism, and at the severed end as at ||3 to extensions I4, projecting vertically from the support 40, and it is a further purpose of the stop |00 to limit the movement of the housing of the wire feeding mechanism under the inuence of the springs H0.

Mounted in the extension H4 of the support 40, there are two wire holding means illustrated in detail in Figure 6. Each of these devices comprises a vertically extending standard |20 around which is mounted a spring |2|, the tension of which is determined by nuts |22. These springs each bear upon a member |23 having a nger |24 which projects through an opening |25 into engagement with a block |26 to exert a pressure thereupon. Operating in conjunction with each block |26 there is a block |21, and the wire in each case passes between these blocks |26 and |21. The tension of the spring |20 will be sufiicient to hold the wire against movement as the wire feeding mechanism is moved relative to the wire, as heretofore mentioned. In addition to this holding means, there is a second holding means between the wire feeding mechanism and the chain link forming mechanism and this holding means consists of two blocks |30 an-d |3| between which both wires pass. A plunger |32 operated by a tappet |33 which in turn is operated by the rocker arm 25 and cam 20, heretofore mentioned, is adapted to exert pressure upon the block |30, sufficient to hold both wires against movement during reciprocating movement of the wire feeding mechanism.

The rocker arm 26 and cam 2| heretofore mentioned operate through the medium of a tappet |40, a knife |4| which is adapted to sever a short section of wire from the strand being fed, from which short section a link for the chain is formed and the rocker arm 21 and the cam 22 are adapted to operate the member |45 of the link forming mechanism.

Means is provided to rock the cams 10, heretofore mentioned, about the shaft 1E in order to perform the holding and releasing operations of the wire feeding mechanism, heretofore described, and this means consists of a head |50 which carries two adjustable studs I! and |52. The head |50 is mounted upon a rod |53 which is held normally upward by a spring |54 interposed between a portion |55 of the machine and a head |56 upon the outer end of the rod |53. This head is engaged by a screw |51 adjustably mounted in the end |53 of the rocker arm 24, which in turn is operated by the cam I9. The two studs |5| and |52 are so positioned that when the wire feeding mechanism is advanced to position to feed the wire to the link forming mechanism in which position it is shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, the projections or lugs 14 of the cams 10 will be beneath the stud |52, and when the wire feeding mechanism is retracted, in which position it is shown in full lines in Figure 3, the projections or lugs 'l5 of the cams 'l0 will be positioned beneath the stud |5I.

Having described the several parts of the mechanism, the operation thereof will now be described.`

In Figure 3 the parts are shown in iull lines in the position which they occupy after a strand of wire has been advanced to the link forming mechanism, a short section to form a link been cut therefrom and the wire feeding mechanism retracted from the link forming mechanism to take a new grip upon a strand of wire. In the position shown, the forward strand or the strand D is that strand from which the length of wire to form a chain link is to be severed. It is to be noted by reference to Figure 9 that the strandD is provided with ribs or beads K, while the strand C is plain, and that the chain made from these two strands consists of alternate ornamented and plain links.

With the parts in the position in which they are shown in Figures l, 3 and ll, rotation of the shaft I8 will through the medium of the cam 23 rock the rocker arm 30 and advance the wire feeding mechanism towards the chain forming mechanism to the dotted line position shown in Figure 3. It will be noted that the cam 'l0 of the blocks E is down, or in the position to cause these blocks to grip the wire D and carry the same along with it to the dotted line position in which it is shown in Figure 3. At this point the rocker arm 20 will be operated by-its cam 2| to sever a length of the wire to be delivered to the link forming mechanism. Next in the succession of operations7 the rocker arm 25 operates to -depress the tappet E33 to clamp the strand D between the blocks |30 and I3| to prevent movement of the strand, and next in the sequence, the rocker arm 24 is operated by its cam to depress the head |50. Upon depression of the head |50, the stud |52 will engage the lug or projection 14 of the cam 10, which operates the blocks E, rocking the same to released position. By this time the low part of the cam 28 has reached the roller 3| of the rocker arm 30 and the springs ||0 act to retract the wire feedingr mechanism to the position in which it is shown in full lines in Figure 3.

The link forming mechanism is now brought into operation in the ordinary manner to form a link from the portion severed from the strand D Whichwill bean ornamented link, as shown in Figure 9.

The next link on the chain is to be formed from the plain strand C, and this is explained in the following manner.

With the parts in the position in which they were just described, the high part of the cam 5|, upon continued operation of the machine, moves the rocker arm 54, shaft 55 and rocker arm 56 to move the support 45 forwardly of the machine or to the right in Figure 4 to position the wire strand C, its cam T and wire feeding blocks F beneath the studs of the head |50 an-d in alinement With the link forming mechanism. This position of the parts is illustrated in dotted lines inv Figure 5. However, in this figure, the strand C is not shown in dotted lines for the reason that it takes the position of the strand D with the remaining parts in the position in which they are shown in dotted lines.

With the parts in this position the head |55 is depressed and the cam I0 which operates the blocks F will be rocked to cause the blocks F to engage the strand C. By this time, the cam 28 is rotated to a point where its high point will again rock the rocker arm 30 to advance the wire feeding mechanism towards the link forming mechanism, it being understood that the holding blocks |35 and |3| have been released to permit the wire C to move freely therebetween. It will be remembered that the cam l of the blocks E was moved to released position and that in this movement of the wire feeding mechanism no movement of the wire D will be had. The wire C being fed forward to position, it is severed and the parts returned again for operation of the strand D in the same manner as described in the return movement of the wire feeding mechanism after the forming of the link from the strand D.

After the wire C has been severed and the feeding mechanism returned to the position shown in full lines in Figure 3, the low part of the cam 5| will engage with the rocker arm 54 and will permit the springs 45 and 46 to retract the support 40 so that the wire D will be in alinement with the link forming mechanism, in which position the parts are shown in full lines in Figure 5.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figure 10, the entire structure is substantially the same as that already described except that in lieu of the holding mechanism consisting of the blocks |30, |3| and the plunger |32, a holding mechanism which in said figure, is designated 200, is employed. This mechanism need not be described in det-ail since it is of substantially the same construction and operation as the Wire feeding mechanism enclosed in the housing. In other w-ords, in lieu of the single means for holding the two strands of wire, which means consists of the two blocks |39 and ISI, there are two cam members 20| similar to the cam members 10, and these cam members are operated by studs 202 and 253 which are depressed by rocker arms and cams not illustrated.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a wire feeding mechanism in which two or more strands of wire may be fed into a chain making machine in Side by side relation at one side of the machine is provided. Further, it will be noted that the wire feeding mechanism is movable bodily to bring either of the wires which it feeds into alinement with the link forming mechanism in order that portions thereof may be removed from which to form the links.

In Figures 11 to 14, inclusive there is illustrated a new and novel form of chain link forming mechanism which permits of the formation of chain links from wire stock of more than one cross-s-ectional form with a single set of chain link forming tools.

The jaws of the link forming mechanism are designated 250, and are of the usual construction. As in the general type of chain link forming mechanism, each jaw carries a chain link forming tool designated herein as 25|. The tools 25| are removably carried by the jaws 255, they being secured thereto by a suitable fastening means, herein illustrated as a bolt or screw 252.

Each tool has a nose-like projection 253, which is formed with an elongated recess 254. The cross-sectional form or shape of this elongated recess 254 will correspond to one-half of the cross-sectional form of the wire to be received therein so that when the wire is positioned therein, its cross-sectional form will not be distorted nor will its surface be in any way marred.

In the present illustration of this form of the invention, the tools shown are of the type for forming chain links of different lengths and when employed in this manner the elongated recess 254 is that recess in which the longer links are formed.

The shorter links are formed in a recess 255. This recess 255 is formed in the upper end of the recess 254, and as best illustrated in Figure 12 of the drawings, it does not extend throughout the entire length of the said recess 254. It will be understood that the cross-sectional shape or form of this recess 255 will correspond to one-half of the cross-sectional shape or form of the wire to be received therein in order that neither the cross-sectional form nor the surface of said wire will be altered or marred during its formation into a link.

The chain illustrated in Figure 15 of the drawings, is formed of links of different character, i. e., links formed from wire which is round in cross-sectional form and links formed from wire which is half round in cross-sectional form. When the invention just described is employed in the formation of a chain of the character illustrated in Figure 15, the smaller links, which are formed from wire which is round in cross-sectional form, would be formed in the recess 255 of the tools, the larger links which are formed from wire which is half round in cross-sectional form, being formed in the recesses 254 of the tools.

Thus it will be apparent that the present invention also provides novel means whereby a single chain link forming mechanism may be employed to form chain links from wire stock of different cross-sectional forms as distinguished from the general method in which the tools are formed with recesses one above the other and the tool elevated or lowered as the case may be properly to position the recesses in line with the correspondingly shaped wire from which the links is to be formed.

While the invention has been herein illustrated in its simple embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specic construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and that it may be practiced in other forms as rightfully fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:

l. In a chain making machine, a chain link forming mechanism, a plurality of wire feeding mechanisms adapted to feed a plurality of strands of wire singly to said chain link forming mechanism, and means for moving said wire feeding mechanisms singly into alinement with the chain link forming mechanism.

2. In a chain making machine, a chain link forming mechanism, a plurality of Wire feeding mechanisms arranged in side by side relation and each adapted to feed a strand of wire to the link forming mechanism and means for moving said `Wire feeding mechanisms singly into alinement with said link forming mechanism.

3. In a chain making machine, a chain link forming mechanism, a plurality of Wire feeding mechanisms each including a wire holding and releasing element, said wire feeding mechanisms being adapted to singly feed a strand of wire to said chain link forming mechanism, and a single means for operating the Wire holding and releasing elements of said Wire feeding mechanisms, and means for moving said Wire feeding mechanisms singly into operative relation with the said Wire holding and releasing element operating means.

4. In a chain making machine, a chain linkforming mechanism, a plurality of Wire feeding mechanisms each including a Wire holding and releasing element, said wire feeding mechanisms being adapted tosingly feed a strand of Wire to said chain link forming mechanism, and a single means for operating the Wire holding and releasing elements of said Wire feeding mechanisms when the Wire feeding mechanism is in position to feed a strand of Wire to the chain link forming mechanism, and means for singly moving said Wire feeding mechanisms into operative relation with the chain link forming mechanism.

5. In a chain making machine, a chain link forming mechanism, a plurality of Wire feeding mechanisms adapted to feed a plurality of strands of Wire singly to said link forming mechanism, a Wire holding and releasing element forming a part of each Wire feeding mechanism, means for moving said Wire feeding mechanisms singly into position to feed a strand of Wire to the link forming mechanism, and means for alternately operating the Wire holding and releasing element of each of said Wire feeding mechanisms When it reaches position to feed a strand of Wire to the link forming mechanism,

6. In a chain making machine, a chain link forming mechanism, a plurality of Wire feeding mechanisms adapted to feed a plurality of strands of Wire singly to said link forming mechanism, a Wire holding and releasing element forming a part of each Wire feeding mechanism, means for moving said Wire feeding mechanisms singly into position to feed a strand of wire to the link forming mechanism, and a single means for alternately operating the Wire holding and releasing element of the various Wire feeding mechanisms, said last mentioned means being operable only when a wire feeding mechanism is in Wire feeding relation with the link forming mechanism.

7. In a chain making machine, a chain rlink forming mechanism, a plurality of Wire feeding mechanisms adapted to feed a plurality of strands of Wire singly to said link forming mechanism, a Wire holding and releasing element forming a part of each Wire feeding mechanism, means for moving said Wire feeding mechanisms singly into position to feed a strand of Wire to the link forming mechanism, and a single means for operating the Wire holding and releasing element of the various Wire feeding mechanisms, after they reach position to feed their respective strand of wire tothe link forming mechanism.

8. In a chain making machine, a chain link forming mechanism, a plurality of individual Wire feeding mechanisms for singly feeding strands of Wire to the link forming mechanism, a Wire holding and releasing element associated with each Wire feeding mechanism, and Wire holding and releasing means operable in combination with each Awire feeding mechanism only as it is brought into position to feed its respective strand of wire to the link forming mechanism.

9. In a chain making machine, a chain link forming mechanism, a plurality of individual Wire feeding mechanisms for singly feeding strands of Wire to the link forming mechanism, a Wire holding and releasing element associated with each wire feeding mechanism, and a single Wire holding and releasing means operable in combination with each wire feeding mechanism only as it is brought to position to feed its respective strand of wire to the link forming mechanism.

l0. In a chain making machine, a chain link forming mechanism, a plurality of individual wire feeding mechanisms for singly feeding strands of Wire to the link forming mechanism, a Wire holding and releasing element associated with each Wire feeding mechanism, and a single wire holding and releasing means independent of the wire feeding mechanisms and operable therewith only as they are brought to position to feed their respective strand of Wire to the link forming mechanism.

l1. In a chain making machine, in combination, a chain link forming mechanism, a plurality of Wire feeding mechanisms, each of Which is adapted to feed a strand of Wire to said chain link forming mechanism, and a single Wire holding and releasing means interposed between the Wire feeding mechanisms and the chain link forming head and operable in combination with each of said wire feeding mechanisms only as they are brought into Wire feeding position.

12. In a chain making machine, a chain link forming mechanism, a plurality of Wire feeding mechanisms adapted to feed a plurality of strands of Wire singly to the chain link forming mechanism, means for moving said Wire feeding mechanisms individually into alinement with the link forming mechanism, and a single Wire holding and severing means operable in combination with each of said Wire feeding mechanisms as they are moved into position to feed their respective strands of Wire to the link forming mechanism.

13. In a chain making machine, a chain link forming mechanism including a pair of tools, each of Which is provided with a chain link forming recess for receiving a length of Wire of a given cross-sectional shape or fo-rm from which to form a chain link, and With a second chain link forming recess for receiving a length of wire of different cross-sectional shape or form, said recesses lying in the same location in said tools.

14. In a chain making machine, a chain link forming mechanism including a pair of tools, each of which is provided with a chain link forming recess for receiving a length of wire of a given cross-sectional shape or form from which to form afchain link, and with a second chain link forming recess for receiving a length of Wire of different cross-sectional shape or form, said Second mentioned recesses lying wholly within the rst mentioned recesses.

15. In a chain making machine, in combination, a wire feeding mechanism and a chain link forming mechanism, said chain link forming mechanism comprising a pair of jaws, means for lmoving said jaws apart to permit of their receiving therebetween, a length of wire from which a chain link is to be formed, means for moving the jaws together, and a chain link forming tool carried by each of said jaws and adapted when the jaws are moved together, to form a chain link from a length of wire positioned between the jaws, each of said chain link forming tools having two wire receiving recesses arranged one wholly within the other and both in position relatively to the wire feeding mechanism whereby Wire may be fed to either of said recesses.

16. In a chain making machine in combination, a single link forming head and a plurality of wire feeding mechanism, a single support for said plurality of wire feeding mechanisms, means for mounting said support for movement relative to said link forming head, means acting normally to retain said wire feeding mechanisms support in position where one of the wire feeding mechanisms will be in alinement with said link forming head, and means for moving said support, thereby to move said wire feeding mechanism out of alinement with the link forming head and position another wire feeding mechanism in alinement therewith.

17. In a chain making machine in combination, a single link forming head and a plurality of wire feeding mechanisms, a single support for said plurality of wire feeding mechanisms, means for mounting said support for movement relatively to said link forming head, resilient means for moving said support in one direction to position one of said plurality of wire feeding mechanisms in alinement with said link forming head, and separate means for moving said support against the action of said resilient means to position another of said wire feeding mechanisms in alinement with said link forming head.

18. In a chain making machine in combination, a single link forming head, a pair of wire feeding mechanisms arranged in parallel relation at one side of the machine and each adapted to feed a strand of wire to the link forming head of the machine, reciprocating means for mounting said wire feeding mechanisms, and means for operating said reciprocating wire feeding mechanism supporting means to alternately position said wire feeding mechanisms in alinement with the link forming head.

FREDERICK A. DIETERICH. HERMANN WEINACKER. 

